By
Morning
"Look at all the pretty people and beautiful lights, it all looks so wonderful. I wish we could go inside too." Tatara signed sadly.
I know you do Sweetie but it would be too dangerous, we don't want you anywhere near that maniac. But we can have our own little show from here. With you all dressed up and us able to see from the camera your Mom is carrying we can watch uncle Modo and your brother like we are actually inside." Karn signed back.
"You're lookin' prettier than any of them any how, Sweetcheeks." Throttle signed winking sweetly at her. Tatara giggled leaning up closer to the front seat to give him a thankful kiss on the cheek.
Karn keyed some instructions into the truck's consul and a screen popped up. The picture was crystal clear as they watched and listen to their group walk in among all the bustling people. But soon a face came into focus filling the screen making Tatara reeled back.
"It's okay Tee-Tee he can't get near you, relax." Karn signed then placing a comforting hand on the little girl's shaking knee. Karn glared back at the screen and a low growl escaped her throat.
Throttle laid a quieting hand on top of hers. "You chill too Babe, his reign of terror is just about over. We'll get um'"
Zatalivous cordially greeted Gates and her party. He appeared polite, polished and the human disguise fit his cultured demeanor. Thin sharp features of a man in his mid thirties, very light almost pale skin tone, sharp crystal blue eyes and long snow white hair pulled back in a neat ponytail which hung almost to his waist.
"Welcome my friends. I was very pleased when Gates informed me that you decided to take me up on my little offer. But I see you haven't brought the little girl with you. I was hoping I could meet her under better circumstance, I'm truly sorry I had frighten her the first time we met."
She wouldn't feel comfortable around this large a group of people. But I will tell her you asked about her." Smoke politely answered trying not to give in to the overpowering urge to knock the insincere smile off his face.
"And the other couple? The young lady with that exquisite golden hair and her young man?"
"They both kindly offered to stay with my niece." Gates told him.
"She, I mean they, will be sorely missed. No matter, if you will follow my assistant she will show you to where you will change. Since you aren't familiar with the madness that goes along with one of these affairs I've arranged a private dressing room for you all. Gates, you know where to take them."
"Yo bro, we've never done anything like this before. Aren't you just a little worried we just might ruin your show." Vinnie questioned.
"It's really not that difficult, just put on the clothes, follow the person in front of you, and let the audience enjoy your presents. You'll do just fine. Now I must go, there are still so many details that need my attention. I will see you all after the show, if you will excuse me?" Zatalivous bowed slightly and walked off.
"I have to say he's the smoothest Plutarkian I've ever run into." Modo shook his head as he watched him leave.
"Yeah, he could talk the skin off a snake. Well, let go boys. Gotta get you ready to make your big debut." Gates teased grabbing Modo by the arm leading them to the dressing room.
Going into his private office Zatalivous walked over and pushed back a large cabinet door on the wall revealing an elaborate surveillance consul. He started scanning the area outside of the estate with a special heat sensitive camera. He knew that his little prize was out there somewhere. They knew his secret and were smart enough not to have left her back at their hotel.
"Ah, there we are just as I suspected and what do we have here? Not only my little jewel but an added bonus." Zatalivous pressed a button and immediately his office was filled with a small army of men. Turning to the tallest most dangerous looking of the group he instructed, "They are at coordinates 69.3 I want the child unharmed. The other male and female, if you can take them alive, all well and good, but if they give you too much trouble eliminate them."
"Take this." The cruel Plutarkian tosses a small hand held cylinder to his lackey. "Aim it at the vehicle, it will disable any detection devices I'm sure they have. Now go." The Henchman nodded and left with the others following close behind him.
Zatalivous looked at the screen and touched it gently. " It won't be long now my little pet. I will have you back and we can leave this pitiful backward planet."
Five minute before show time:
"I can't believe we let these women talk us into this. I don't care I am not going through with this." Vinnie paced nervously in the back stage dressing room. They had been fussed over; comb, clipped and now they were ready to hit the runway.
Don't tell me the ego that ate Manhattan is actually trying to back out. With all those fine females just an arms length from him, No it can't be." Smoke couldn't help but tease Vinnie; she was getting the biggest kick out of seeing him actually nervous about something.
Modo seemed unaffected by the noise, the lights and the fact that they were about to probably make total fools of themselves. Vinnie continued to tug at his clothes and complain that this was, if not the stupidest thing they had ever done, it was up there on the top ten. Even the mask felt too tight and seem to cut off his air. Finally he sat down at the vanity table praying for a Plutarkian invasion, a meteor to hit, anything that would stop what he was about to do.
"Okay boys it's show time." Gates popped her hear in the door and snickered at how high Vinnie jumped.
"Come on Bad Mamma Jamma, just do what you do best. Remember while you guys are out there Gates will be looking for his transporter room. Hopefully our gracious host will be so busy keeping and eye on you he won't notice her missing. Charley, Harrison and I will watch your backs just incase he tries something while your out there since he just might be on to us. I'll work the balcony, Harrison backstage and Charley in the front of the runway. We wait until the show is over then fall back as the crowd leaves and after the place quiets down we find him fast and nab him. Gates hooks up the transporter to blink this place to kingdom come and we meet Throttle and Karn outside and jobs done.
"One question? What if all this is just a big ploy to get us in here, which it probably is and he's waiting for what ever we might try? Vinnie questioned blandly.
"Then we improvise." Smoke smiled kissed his cheek and lead him out.
Modo stood up and straight out the black full-length leather coat and pants they had him wear. Smoothing back his hair he took a long breathe and walk out to do what he had to. Gates smiled at how confident he appeared and leaned up to peck him on the cheek. He took her face and turned that peck into a mind blowing short slip into wonderland.
"You just be careful. I don't want my future wife with any holes in her." He softly chucked letting her face go.
Gates walked about five steps before it struck her what he'd just said. She looked back at him smiling. Then went off to complete her part of their mission.
The show was going rather normal until the two disguises aliens made their appearances. Vinnie's walk was accompanied by a frenzy of camera flashes and wild applause but when Modo walked out the reaction was beyond description. And once the tall handsome Martian removed his coat to reveal the close fitting silk shirt the woman who didn't faint whistles and had to be restrained from coming on to the stage.
Charley watched the crowd carefully and noticed two men moving closer toward her. "I've got company." She whispered into her hidden microphone alerting Smoke.
"I see them. I can hit one from here but you will have of take care of the other one." Smoke answered back.
"No problem I just hope these darts will put them out fast enough."
"No worries they'll knock out a herd of raging bog dogs, trust me." Smoke looked through the site of her own weapon and fired a silent projectile hitting one of the advance men and watching him fall into the crowd. Charley fired her own weapon having a similar effected on the other advancing enemy.
Harrison sees Zatalivous emerging from his office stopping to speak with a large henchman and from the look on his face what ever had gone down pleased the evil Plutarkian to no end. The human photographer reached up and increased the amplifier of his headset and focused it's toward the conversation. He also transmitted it to Charley, Smoke, and the two mice that finally managed to break free of the chaos they had caused and come back stage.
"We got the kid at the lab, the wolf chick and the big mouse are stored at the storage garage. The mouse is in pretty bad shape we had to blast him." The heavy voice informed.
"The male is of no consequence, but the female I will deal with. Tell them to guard that child, nothing had better happen to her. When this nonsense is done kill any of those annoying aliens your cohorts have missed, including that photographer who accompanied them." Zatalivous dismisses him with the flip of a hand and left to attend to his captives.
Harrison's attention focused straight toward Smoke knowing the panic she must be feeling. The Martian female wanted to scream in terror knowing that maniac had Tatara.
But like no time before she had to keep her thinking clear.
Vinnie on the other hand wasn't so controlled. His face showed a hate that Harrison had never seen before. He was ready to blow up everything and anyone to find not only his sister but also his life long injured bro.
Modo held the enraged young Martian and waited until they could reorganize with the others of their group. Work out a plan to ensure every ones safe rescue, along with Zatalivous' capture and the destruction of his fortress.
Tatara's capture:
Tatara was terrified, the large man roughly held her around the neck so she could hardly breath and struggling only made him tighten his grip. The cold sweat ran down her back and dread filled every part of her. But she remembered the training given her by her mother. You have to use your mind, think there is always something you can do to help yourself no matter how small. She prayed that her capture wouldn't see what she was doing, that her small trail would be detectable by those she knew would come to save her.
The henchman took her into a lab of some sort and put her on a cold metal table strapping down. Zatalivous walked into room and over to the child now bond securely. He smiled taking her hand out of the restraint and places it to his cheek.
Tatara stares at him with horror in her eyes.
"So they have brought you home my little progeny. Has Daddy's little girl missed him, hum?" His voice was strangely sweet and affectionate. "Well no matter all we have lost was a little time, but when I am finished with you it will all have been worth it. Even though it may take a few more years to properly finish everything I can at least remove all those annoying memories you have unfortunately gathered over the years while we were apart. Then Daddy can start with a clean slate. Won't that be perfect?"
Tatara knew what he was planning to do. Take her family from her, clear her mind of all those she dearly loved. She boldly thought to him "You're not my father. My father was a Martian. You're the one who only made me into this so you can make money with my mind. My mother and brother will find me. My family won't let you hurt me again."
"Sorry little girl but Mommy doesn't even know where you are so don't hold your breath. But trust me it will be so much better after I'm finished." He then turns to the guard, "Make sure no one get into this room. I have others to take care of and I will deal with the child when I return."
Tatara closes her eyes and cries praying her family will see the trail she left, come and help her. "Momma I am afraid please come. help me!! *sob* Vinnie where are you? I..I..need you."
Smoke and Vinnie search frantically from room to room. They were so close but not close enough.
Why can't we find her? We have to get to her before he can do anything to her. Before he hurts her." Vinnie voice is ripped with an indescribable panic.
"Easy Vinnie we have to keep our heads if we ever intend to find her alive."
Smoke trying hard not to be hysterical, she had to focus to try and think past her own panic, focus past the frighten little voice that was biting at her heart.
Tatara was far from stupid even though she was young; her mother had trained her to survive. Smoke knew her daughter would leave some kind of signal to help them know where she was. They scanned corridor after corridor but nothing then Smoke's tracking device did picked up a tiny round object, then another, there was a pattern.
"Good Imza use what you have, to let us know."
"What is it? You find something." Vinnie was anxious.
"Remember that little pearl necklace Charley let her wear? She is leaving a trail using its pieces to show us which room she's in. See there's one and there is another."
"That's right baby show Momma where he's taking you. See there she's in that room just down this hall." Smoke pointed to where Tatara was held captive.
Vinnie was ready to tear the door down but Smoke stopped him, "No Vinnie we do this wrong and they will kill her"
Smoke attached a device to the doorknob. Then tells Vinnie to yell at the top of his lungs. The person on the opposite side grabbed the knob and she activated the device sending a painful electrical pulsed through the knob. They could hear a scream then the sound of a body hitting the floor. Vinnie unable a moment longer burst through the door kicking it into a dozen pieces falling to a battle ready stance aiming his blaster at whom ever might have been left standing. Thankfully there was only the one guard and he stood seeing Tatara bond to the table. Walking over his heart twisted in agony as he ripped the shaking child free and held her tightly to him. How many times had she been so confided frighten with no one to hear her terrified cries?
"Hehe w-w-wanted to take me away again. He..he.. was g-g-going t-t-to take me away." Her fearful voice filled his head as she held tenaciously to his neck.
"It's okay Tee-Tee we got ya, we won't let him do anything, and you are safe now."
Smoke holds Tatara's face making sure she is just frightened, " I want to get her out of here as fast as we can. In fact we all need to make tracks before Gates activates the transport mechanism. Let's just hope Charley, Harrison, and Modo found Karn and Throttle." Smoke said checking the door, then the hallway. With Tatara in arm Vinnie followed her out and they continued the search for their friends.
At a storage garage:
Karn started coming around. She tried to put her hands to her face but felt them chained over her head. What had happened? Her head was still spinning; things were fuzzy and unreal. Trying to clear her mind she scanned the room attempting to get her bearing. She was in a large storage area of some sorts the smell of grease and exhaust almost choked her.
On the opposite wall she could see Throttle restrained as she was, slowly she remembered what had happened. They came out of nowhere, without warning. Her security system must have some how been disabled. Before they knew what hit them, the hoodlums were all over the truck, yanking the doors open pulling Tatara out first. Karn fought the one that was dragging her to the ground and Throttle had his hands full fighting of the other two. Karn bit down on her attackers arm making him release her and she lunged at the ugly creature that was practically strangling Tatara as the child struggled wildly trying to get away.
One of the henchmen, Throttle thought he had subdued, pulled a weapon and aimed it at Karn. Without a second thought Throttle put himself between his new love and the blast. Karn watched horrified as the deadly light left the weapon and hit him in the chest sending the wounded Martian flying backwards and falling hard to the ground. She could hear Tatara screaming but then someone got behind her, grabbing her around her neck, and tightening his grip until she blacked out.
She looked over to see the burn where the laser blast had struck him in the chest. He hung so limp and still she was terrified that he was no longer alive.
In the darkness she heard a voice that caused every muscle in her body to tense.
"I see my beautiful little wolf has awaken and decided to join my little party after all," said the figure that emerged out of the shadows.
Karn could see he had removed the false face showing his true appearance. He was oddly handsome for a Plutarkian. Delicate almost feminine facial features, the light blue green complexion common to his people but smooth not scaly, and the same snow-white hair sweeping much longer down his back. His eyes were an unfeeling icy almost clear blue and void of any caring emotions. As cold as the frigid desert on Karn's home world.
"I'm not your anything you disgusting slim feeder." Karn hatefully sneered at him
Zatalivous walked closer and took her face in his hands. She tried to pull away but that just made him increase his hold. "You are quite an enchanting creature no matter what the form, a true feast for the senses. Too bad it's being squandered on that," he flipped his head in Throttle's direction.
He ran his fingers through her hair then snatched her head backwards forcing her face to look up at his. He ran his hand slowly down her cheek, and then with a sickening smile he held her tightly around her waist pulling her up close to him. Karn struggles to stop him was useless he being much stronger than he appeared. She tried to move her face away but he just continued to smile and held her head as he began to kiss her. Her stomach wrenched but she was power less to prevent what was happening. Her only consolation was she knew that this kiss would cost him as she sank her teeth into him. He jerked his head back but not surprised, and then with a depraved laugh he released her.
"Oh did we think our little trick would work on me? I think not my sweet little viper.
Your little paralyzing fluid won't have any effect on me. I have let's say dealt with your kind before?" He taunted holding her by the chin moving her head back and forth playfully.
Karn spat at him growling loudly.
He raised his hand as if to slap her and she looks defiantly at him. Chuckling he lowered his hand to take a silk handkerchief from his beast pocket to wipe his face. Then turned his attention to his other prisoner.
"Well well looky what we have here. Seems your little love interest took a pretty good hit trying to rescue his lady in distress, such noble and useless theatrics." He walked over toward Throttle. "Makes me rather ill, that's why these foul creatures turn my stomach. The sentimental fools."
Ztalavious took him by the hair and raised his head slowly examining the unconscious Martian's face. "And this is what you want to waste your time on. Well there is no accounting for taste." With that he let Throttle's head fall and with a disgusted expression wipes his hands on Throttle's shirt.
Karn savagely struggled to break her chains; " Keep your filthy hands off him you loathsome parasite. Where's the child, if you've harmed her?"
"Temper, temper I am not going to harm your precious mouse. That is unless you consider killing him, harmed. And as for the child let's just say she is safe at home where she belongs. You see my sweet furry female I was planning on leaving this dismal little planet even before you and your friend came looking for me. I have more than enough gold gills to start over somewhere else and now that my little project has been return to me it makes my time here all the more rewarding. I guess I should thank you all for taking such good care of her."
"Haven't you made that child suffer enough you heartless murderer! "? Karn growled
"You know that was a stupid question but she hasn't began to know suffering. It's all in the name of science my dear and she'll thank me in the long run." He suddenly stopped turning his head listening to the sound of blaring alarms. "Looks like I have more pressing matters to attend. But don't worry I will return shortly, while I'm gone think about coming with me, he's really not worth dying for." He walked back over to Karn and once more took hold of her face staring into her eyes. "I could make it worth your while." He briefly fondled her hair and left.
Karn felt nauseate by his touch but then turned her mind to Throttle. She looked over at him calling his name hoping for a response. "Throttle. Throttle please answer me." Her voice echoed through the empty room. "My whole world is different now because of you. I allowed you into a part of my heart I'd forgotten I had. What we found shouldn't end like this not like this." Karn listened desperately but nothing. Again she wildly pulled at her chains then in total defeat crumbles to her knees.
Karn looked desperately at Throttle; the thought of not holding him for at least one last time made her sorrow unbearable. "No! Not like this, it won't be like this." On shear will alone she began to pull at her restraints. Slowly she concentrated and with every fiber of her being she pulled, pulled until every muscle in her body felt like it was about to explode. The sweat poured from her like water, her heart was about to pound out of her chest, but she had to get free nothing else mattered. The wall began to give it creaking stubbornly. She strained until the tears ran from her eyes, she was going to get free. Then when she thought her heart would burst the wall gave way to the force of her effort; she slammed the floor. Pushing her disheveled hair from her face she scrambled up and over to him. She stood for a fraction of a second afraid to touch him. Trembling she closed her eyes and leaned her ear against his chest, he was still alive.
Karn looked around the room trying to find something, anything to help her free him. Seeing a long metal pipe she took it, wedging it between the wall and the ring that his chain was threaded through. She didn't know where she found the strength but she pushed on the pipe until the ring pulled away and Throttle fell to the floor.
She sat exhausted on the floor and had just enough strength to pulled him onto her lap. After a few moments Throttle moaned slightly and opened his eyes.
Karn gave him a weary smile, "How ya feelin' Love?"
"Like I'd just spent the night in Karbunkle's lab and was his favorite experiment." He tried to chuckle but the pain in his chest turned it into a painful cough. His breathing was labored but still he managed a smile as he took her hand in his. Karn lifted his hand and kissed it gently. She was exhausted and could do nothing to get them both to safety and leaving him wasn't even a consideration. From the pain on his face she knew he was suffering greatly so smiling down at him lowered her mouth to his and kissed him. A kiss that allowed her too very gently let her teeth pierce his mouth. His eyes widen for a second then rolled back in his head as he went limb in her arms. Looking at him now unconscious she held on to him her hand stroking his hair lovingly.
Karn could hear the sound of footsteps coming towards them. Zatalivous was coming back and she knew he would make good his threat. She held tightly to Throttle at least they would together. The footsteps stopped at the door, it slowly opened but instead of Zatalivous, there stood Modo, Harrison and Charley.
"How did you find us? Karn said in relief though still shaking.
"That doesn't matter, we have to get out of here. How bad is he hurt." Charley bent down to examine Throttle's burned chest.
"He took a very nasty laser hit."
Harrison bends down to examine Throttle himself. "I don't know, but we need to get him outta here. Modo broke their chains and lifted Throttle over his shoulders. "So where to ladies?"
Charley remembering the way they'd come instructed them to follow her.
Modo with Throttle in tow followed with Karn and Harrison staying in the rear. They made their way down the corridor. Charley stopped short to motion they lean against the wall.
"I hear someone coming," she whispered.
Charley held her weapon ready. Modo laid Throttle on the floor and flipped up his arm canon. Karn held Throttle's head and Harrison stood back behind them.
"WHOA, IT"S US!" Vinnie yelled stopping the assault. He was caring Tatara with Smoke close behind.
"He's not?" Vinnie fearfully asked.
No, but we gotta get him out of here. How's the baby?" Modo said picking Throttle up again.
"She's a little shaken up but once we are out of here I think she'll be fine," Vinnie tightening his hold on his sister.
Smoke now taking the lead, "Let go!!! This way and we don't have a lot of time. Hopefully Gates has activated our little gift and in 20minutes if we don't want to join our host in deep space we'd better get our backsides out of here."
Ztalavious knowing something has gone very wrong with his plan races to the lab only to see it empty and his prize escaped. He rushes to his control room and quickly scans each part of his fortress until he spotted the fleeing group.
"Oh do you think I will let you win that easy. I have been playing this game far too long." He calmly says to himself.
Instead of having his guard's attack he simply pushes a button and the corridor they are heading down closes up tight as the alarms blare loudly. Smoke stops short as a descending wall blocks off their escape. Retreat is also blocked by another falling wall.
Karn fires at the wall but the blast bounces off. Then they all try firing at one spot at the same time but still nothing.
"How much time to we have?" Charley asks nervously
"If Gates has done her job and believe me she has about 15minutes tops," Smoke says as she looks around for some way to escape than at her daughter terrified in Vinnie's arms.
Zatalavious laughing like mad man torments them further as his voice is heard over the screaming alarm.
"Well my fine freedom fighters it appears like we have no winners. I don't get my little property, and I am sure you have arranged some sort of destruction for my fortress. Alas it will mean your destruction as well.
They can hear his psychotic laughter. "Did I say we? You didn't really think I wouldn't have a way out of here? So it looks like I do win after all and just to make my victory complete I will take back my property."
With that he transports Tatara out of Vinnie's arms and into his control center.
"NOOOO!!!!!!!" Vinnie screams as he tries in vain to hold on to her.
Smoke turns just in enough time to see Tatara disappear. She lunged toward him only to land in Vinnie's now empty arms. The child reappears back with Zatalivous, with a sick demented grin he walks over to her grabbing her by the arm.
Quiet yes, timid at times, but something inside of Tatara was not going to just let this maniac take her away from all that she loves, that she finally found. Boldly she stands and with all her strength butts her head into his stomach making him release her and fall to the floor with the wind knocked out of him. She runs toward the control panel and attempts to free her love ones.
Ztalavious now infuriated gets up and grasps the child by the hair fling her away with such force she slams against the opposite wall and lies limp on the floor. As he goes to collect his prize his world suddenly goes black but not before feeling an incredible pain to the back of his head.
Smoke laying in Vinnie's arms her face drenched with tears having given up all hope. Then a familiar female voice is heard giving them all that hope back.
"Okay people get your fine fannies out of there you have almost no time left and Smoke, Vinnie it's okay I have the baby. "
Grateful wasn't anywhere close to the emotion Smoke was feeling, "Thank you Sisthank you more than I can say." Smoke joyfully called to her sister.
"Yeah, yeah just make sure my Pooh is with you and we will call it even. Now MOVE!!!!!" Modo could only smile from ear to ear.
Gates hits the controls lifting the walls and allowing her friends to try and run for safety.
She looks back and smiles at the unconscious Zatalavious lying sprawled out on the floor. Checking her watch seeing they only have 9 minutes before the transport she has rigged sends everything in the immediate area into the deepest, coldest, most remote part of the galaxy. Her first thought was to leave him, let him die in the frigid blackness of space.
Make him pay with his life for all the lives he and his cruel people have taken.
But that was not her job to be judge and jury. Her job was to help find him and get him back to Mars. Let those whose job it was take care of the retribution that he deserved.
She calls her bike straps Zatalavious to the back and gently places Tatara in front of her wrapping her tail securely around the small body. With just 3 minutes to go she tears down the hall and out of the nearest window landing safely to the ground. She sees her friends running safely out of the building along with the small remnant of Zatalivous' once loyal minions fleeing for their lives.
Then in a blinding flash that lit up the night sky the fortress with all of its weapons, his vast fortune, and tons of vital information he'd stored for Plutark and himself, disappears. Leaving the once powerful child murder to face his crimes and Martian justice alone and penniless.
Vinnie and Smoke rush to Tatara taking her gently off the bike. She moaned a little then opened her eyes giving them a relieved smile.
Charley, Modo, Harrison and Karn were busy tending to the injury Throttle had sustained, the immediate victory forgotten his injuries being more critical than they'd first thought.
"I don't know why he isn't feeling any of this but that blast did a lot of internal damage. I don't know if there is anything we can do to help him, not here any how." Harrison sighed almost hopeless.
Modo watched his life long friend with a bleak expression. He was only too familiar with the damaged this particular weapon was designed to cause. Throttle's head lay on Karn's lap with Charley kneeling by his side holding firmly to the hand of her, for all tense and purposes, brother. "Come on handsome don't leave us now."
"We know we can't help him here, let's get back home and see what we can do there. I just wish I could lock this creep up to make sure he doesn't get away." Gates looked at her prisoner as he starts to stir.
"Well I can at least do something about him. Modo could you carry him to the truck." Charley gently traded places with Karn to keep Throttle comfortable. Karn walks to her vehicle and presses some controls. The left side of the back seat starts to glow slightly and then hisses lifting itself higher then the rest of the seat. The back panel behind it opens up revealing what appears to be some type of hidden chamber. Modo secures Zatalivous into the seat following Karn's instructions. She again presses the controls and straps appear securing the villain tightly in place just as he began to completely recover. With little remorse he struggles to free himself verbally attaching everyone.
"You low life sub organisms won't keep me very long. Do you think putrid creatures like you can defeat the great Zatalivous? Do you think."